sign in sign up
<<
Home , Caste system in Nepal, Vaishya

Chapter 2 - Exploitative Forms of Labour 61

Dalits, Discrimination and Food Industry in

The system The caste system is a social division of people based on their occupation and access to power. The with its origin in has always prescribed based on birth. Thus, caste has been considered and practiced as a matter of birth, which cannot be changed by quality, education, intellect and social contribution.

The generation of is based on the system of Hindu theology. The Varna system in the early period of the development of human civilization during and before Vedic Era of South Asia and Middle East was actually the division of labour in the society of the time. The Varna system, thus, is a system of four Varnas - , , and .

In the vertical division of people in traditional Hindu society, are at the top as head, brain and authority of education and knowledge. Similarly, are the , their major occupation under the guidance of Brahmins, designated as Soldiers, Security and hunting of wildlife. The are the producers and traders of the society representing business class and the as the bottom point of Hindu caste hierarchy are considered servant and workers-the toiling group of society. However, there are two sub-categories even Among Shudras- one, touchable Shudras to serve the higher three Varnas, including of course the household works and the other untouchable Shudras for outside work. Untouchable Shudras are the most discriminated group and later termed as . The term '' means extremely suppressed and hence dalit refers to the most exploited socially as well as economically which exists as the lowest point of the societal pyramid.

Meaning of The term 'untouchable' or Achhut has been in the Nepali discourse from a very long period of time denoting those castes of Shudras, who are not 62 Issue of the World of Work in Nepal

permitted by upper castes to enter their houses, temples and other public places and to touch food or water to be used by the upper caste people. In later days mainly in last decades of 20th Century, the term dalit has been started to use intensively to replace the word 'Achhut'. The practice of untouchability is being lesser and lesser in urban areas whereas it is still highly victimising people in rural areas.

Dalit population in Nepal There are two broader groups of Dalits in Nepali society- the Hill Origin and the or Plain area Origin. As a special category, there are Dalits as well among the Newar Community (Newar is major groups of Vaisya) community itself.

Table 1: List of Occupational Cast in Nepal Community Name Occupation Location / Iron works Hill Sunar Gold works Hill Tailoring/music player Hill Sarkee Shoe making Hill Chitre Bamboo works Hill Chundra Wooden pot maker Hill Tamata Metal works Western Hill Kusle/Kulu Musical instrument maker valley Pode Sweeper Kathmandu valley Kasai Butcher Kathmandu valley Chyme/Chyamkhala Toilet cleaning Kathmandu valley Shoe making Terai Dom Sweeper Terai Dusadh Agri and other labour Terai Mushahar Agri and other labour Terai Clothes washing Terai Tatma Agri labour Terai Khatwe Agri labour Terai Satar Agri labour Terai Halkhor Toilet cleaning Terai Bantar Bamboo working Mid-West Badi Dancing and entertainer Western Nepal Gaine Singing Hill Hurke/Harahuru Chapter 2 - Exploitative Forms of Labour 63

As mentioned in Table-2 given below there are 5 categories of Hill origin Dalits and 6 are from Terai Origin. It is estimated that there are 16 Lakhs (9% of total population) Dalit from Hill Origin and 3.5% from Terai Origin Dalits. Altogether there are 22 Lakhs 72 thousands Dalit population in Nepal based on Population Census-1991. It is 12.3% of the total population1. If we project this number by 2.5% per year, the Dalit population by 2000 should be 28 Lakhs. Now this number can be calculated as 5 Millions of total population of 23.15 millions, 20 % of the total.

Table 2: Total population and of Dalit Total Population % of total population Hill Origin Kami 963,655 5.21 Damai 367,989 1.99 276,435 1.49 Badi 7,082 0.04 Gaine 4,485 0.02 Total 1,619,435 8.75 Terai Origin Dhobi 76,594 0.41 Dusaad 93,242 0.50 Chamar 203,919 1.10 Khatbe 66,612 0.36 141,980 0.77 Kanu 70,634 0.38 Total 272,416 12.27 250,732 1.36 Kalabar 162,046 0.88

Constitution and laws on Dalit The Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal, 1990 and the Civil Code (Muluki Ain, 2020 B.S.) deny untouchability and ensure the social equality and right against any kinds of discrimination based on occupation, caste and other ethnic groupings of society. No other laws exist against this norm. However, in social practice, the situation is quite different and hence the appropriate implementation of laws in favour of

1 Mentioned in a paper presented in the dalit national conference by Dr. Sharma, January 3-4, 1998 64 Issue of the World of Work in Nepal

equal rights to dalits has always been a far cry in our society. The superstitious beliefs and still dominating outdated feudal characteristics of traditional social life have been the major obstacles in this regard.

Dalit movement and the formation of the Dalit Commission Dalits are fighting for their rights together with various progressive movements. In early days this issue was taken up particularly left movement of the country. In 1980s Dalit caste-based peoples' organisation named Udpidit Jati Utthan Manch was established in order to gear up this movement. Following years there was significant momentum was foreseen. Later this munch was renamed as Udpidit Jatiya Mukti Samaaz. Particularly just after the restoration of multiparty democracy dozens of such organisations were launched. Remarkable changes were formation of 100s of NGO based on various Dalit communities mushroomed. It has resulted in enough pressures to non- dalit policy makers as well. Hence, the government has declared a high Level National Dalit Commission on March 19, 2002.

Formal sector food industries and involvement of dalit labour Keeping in view, the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT) conducted an indicative study in order to examine present contest of occupational discrimination in food and beverage industries. The reason to choose these industries is food like noodles, biscuits and bakery, juice and other soft drinks and dairy products is often considered by the society free should be free from Dalit.

All together 22 enterprises were taken as a sample size. The geographical coverage was from east to west and Terai to the urban hills. A set of 11 questionnaires (see annex: 1) was circulated to the workers and employers of the company. Table-1 shows the sample size:

Table 3: Types and number of enterprises covered by the study Type of Enterprises Number Percent Biscuit / Bakery 12 54.6 Confectionary 4 18.2 Noodles 2 9.1 Dairy Products 1 4.5 Soft drink (Juice, Coca-Cola etc) 2 9.1 Pickles 1 4.5 Total 22 100.0 Chapter 2 - Exploitative Forms of Labour 65

Assuming that the food products are most vulnerable with regards to occupation based discrimination, 54.6% of sample size was taken from Biscuits and Bakery. Like wise 18.2% from confectionary, 9.1% each from Noodles and Soft Drinks and remaining from Dairy products and pickles.

Table 4: Proportion of Dalit Cast by types of Establishment Type of Enterprises Total Workers Dalit Percent Biscuit / Bakery 1,029 95 9.2 Confectionary 49 - - Noodles 296 4 1.4 Dairy Products 195 6 3.1 Soft drink 232 13 5.6 Pickles 77 6 7.8 Total 1878 124 6.6

The number of Dalits participating in food industries widely varies. Bakery and biscuits factories are proven most progressive in this regard, where 9.2% Dalit of total number of surveyed workers is found. Confectionary has nil and pickles industries have 7.8% Dalits. Likewise, soft drinks, dairy products and noodles industries have 5.6%, 3.1% and 1.4% dalits respectively.

Table 5: Caste structure and workers Caste Male % Female % Total % Brahmin/ Chhetri/ Newar 1155 87.7 524 93.4 1679 89.4 Dalit caste (Hill Origin) 43 3.3 18 3.2 61 3.2 Dalit caste (Terai origin) 47 3.5 17 3.0 63 3.4 Other non- Dalit caste 73 5.5 2 0.4 75 4.0 Total 1317 100.0 561 100.0 187.8 100.0

Of the total enterprises surveyed, overwhelming number of workers (89.4%) from 'upper caste' people like Brahmin, Chhetri and Newar has found. There is more or less equal percentage of Terai and Hill origin dalits in such industries 3.4% and 3.2% respectively.

Dalits were found nil in Confectionary industry. However, high incidents of Dalit were found in Biscuits/Bakery (76%). Low numbers of dalit has been found in noodles and dairy products. A detail is given below in the Table: 6 66 Issue of the World of Work in Nepal

Table 6: Dalit caste by Establishments Type of Enterprises Male % Female % Total % Biscuit / Bakery 67 75.3 28 80.0 95 76.6 Confectionary ------Noodles 3 3.41 2.94 3.2 Dairy Products 6 6.7 - - 6 4.8 Soft drink (Juice, Coca-Cola etc.) 9 10.0 4 11.4 13 10.5 Pickles 4 4.52 5.76 4.8 Total 89 100.035 100.0124 100.0

Percentage of female dalit is high in comparison with male. However female ratio in Musahar/ Dusadh and other dalit cast is just reverse.

Table 7: Proportion of Dalit by caste and sex Caste Male % Female % Total % Damai 14 15.7 8 22.9 22 17.7 Kami 18 20.2 9 25.7 27 21.8 Sarki 2 2.2 1 2.9 3 2.4 Pode/ Chyame 7 7.9 3 8.6 10 8.1 Chamar/ Dum 7 7.9 5 14.3 12 9.7 Musahar/ Dusadh 24 27.0 5 14.3 29 23.4 Other Dalit- caste 17 19.1 4 11.4 21 16.9 Total 89 100.0 35 100.0 124 100.0

There are few types of work that has been offered to dalit to perform. Cleaning, packaging, machine operator, porter types of job are assigned jobs to them. In bakery and biscuits, generally they are denied working in such a section where flour and water is mixed and trained.

Table 8: Involvement of dalits by types of work Type of work Male % Female % Total % Clearing 9 10 7 20.0 16 12.9 Packaging 38 42.7 20 57.1 58 46.8 Operator 21 23.6 4 11.4 25 20.2 Transport 8 9.0 - - 8 6.5 Other 13 14.6 4 11.4 17 13.7 Total 89 100.0 35 100.0 124 100.0 Chapter 2 - Exploitative Forms of Labour 67

Following table shows dalits by place of origin.

Table 9: Dalit workers by place of Origin Place of origin Male % Female % Total % Local 48 53.9 20 57.1 68 54.8 Other place within same district 27 30.3 14 40.0 41 33.1 Other districts 14 15.7 1 2.9 15 12.1 Total 89 100.0 35 100.0 129 100.0

Reason, recommendation and conclusion Above tables show, there is less involvement of dalits in Nepali food industry. During our study a set of question was asked to dig out the reasons. Out of the selected 22 establishments 59% have provided employment to dalit any way.

In order to examine social changes, the survey team asked- when they started to work. Among the total Dalit workers, 77% were working prior to restoration of multi-party democracy in 1990. Whereas 15% dalits started their work within a period of 1990-2000. Only 8% of them have had their job very recently.

However, the study shows 41% enterprises are preventing dalit work in their establishments. Of the total respondents, 66.7% said the reason is social practice of untouchability. 33.3% said dalit themselves are not interested work in the food industry.

Discrimination… Discrimination… Discrimination In a biscuit factory of the tourism city of Nepal, a biog group of women workers are working. The GEFONT team reached in the factory to identify gender issues at work places. Among the questionnaires, one was related to 'menstruation leave'. 'Does your factory ever offer this leave to women workers?' The answer was in the affirmative. They were provided a four-day menstruation leave without pay. If women touch any food items during their periods, they will be 'unholy', the owner feels. "Women are being treated as dalit during that period," remark women workers.

(GEFONT submission to the Anti- International, UK-May 21, 2002; Prepared by Gautam, Umesh Upadhyaya and Bishnu Rimal)